Have Faith In Me
by Ms Gatsby
Summary: The chaos theory states that a butterfly's flapping wings can start a hurricane thousands of miles away. The smallest actions can change a fate completely,so when two fates collide it can lead to disaster. Rose stays on the lifeboat, but that wasn't how it was supposed to be. Will her and Jack get their happily ever after,or does fate have other ideas?
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Hi everyone! This is my first ever Titanic fic, and also my first foray into writing in a long time, so please be kind. Sorry about the spacing, haven't got a hang of FFs editor yet, so I tried to make it easy to read...I hope. I appreciate all reviews and critique :)

I hope you enjoy

-Ms Gatsby

Disclaimer: All things Titanic are property of James Cameron. No copyright infringement intended

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><p>Suddenly she began to become aware of her surroundings; the sounds and the smells filling her consciousness, replacing her slumber. Slowly, she opened her eyes, everything was dark and blurry. A few slow blinks had everything in focus; she lay still, wondering where on earth she was, her mind blank. Suddenly memories began flooding back, the iceberg, the ship, leaving-<p>

"JACK" she bolted upright.

"Please Miss!" A nurse rushed over to her side, stopping her from leaving her bed.

"I need to find Jack." she said franticly, tears forming in the pits of her eyes "Where's Jack?" her voice growing weaker at the question, as the enormity of it all sank in.

"Please Miss," the nurse repeated "we need to get you looked over by a doctor first." Rose nodded in defeat, her mind racing, Where was he? Was he ok? Was he even alive? What if Cal got to him? Her thoughts were interrupted by the nurse "Now Miss I'll need to take your name"

"Rose" she said softly

"Rose De-" she cut herself off quickly, this was her chance for freedom, if she gave her real name, her mother and Cal would surely find her, if she didn't however, "Dawson" and it was done, her mother and Cal left to believe she'd died like so many others.

"Thank you Miss Dawson, a doctor will be in shortly." with that the nurse was gone and Rose was alone with her thoughts.

Rose Dawson, she repeated over in her head and wondered what Jack would make of it, it had a nice ring to it, more so then Hockley. Her mind quickly refocused on Jack, he had to be alive, he just _had_ to be. Tears began to roll down her eyes as she thought of their last moments together, him begging her to get on a lifeboat, being torn apart by an officer, how beautiful he looked as the boat was being lowered, how much it hurt to leave the man she loved behind.

"Miss Dawson?" a male voice came from above, she looked up to see a man who looked to be in his fifty's, she nodded "I'm Dr. Walden, the Carpathia's I just need to do a few checks and you can be on your way."

"So I'm on the Carpathia?" Rose asked

"You don't remember anything do you?" Walden replied. Rose shook her head, the last thing she remembered was the screams of those left behind, those not fortunate to get a spot on a life boat, those she listened to dying, praying all the while her Jack was not amongst them.

"We think you went into a deep state of shock, which is not surprising given the circumstances" Walden informed her "by the time you reached us you were unconscious, all your vitals were fine, your body just couldn't take the stress and shut itself down" he said whilst checking her pupils.

"How long have I been here?" Rose asked as him continued to examine her.

"About three hours, it's a quarter past seven on April the fifteenth" He answered "Right then, it looks like you're well enough to leave, if you head up to the deck you'll be able to find out about sleeping arrangements and such, I'm afraid I'm not much used with all that."

"Thank you Doctor" Rose said as she got up from her bed and headed to the curtain which screened off the beds.

"Miss Dawson" Rose turned around "Best of luck, may God be with you."

"And also with you." She replied solemnly

...

Walking through the ship's corridors was like hell for Rose, every step she took reminded her of her search for Jack back on the Titanic and their frantic escape as the water rose, hiding from Cal and Lovejoy, buying precious time.

Of course all that was over now, at the bottom of the ocean, yet the situation resonated with her at this moment. She was once again searching for Jack, however this time have no clue where to start or if he was even alive.

She emerged onto the deck, her eyes stung, not yet used to the daylight.

"Miss?" an officer caught her attention, "If you haven't done so, could you please check in with one of my colleagues?" he motioned to a desk sitting off to the side of the deck, surrounded by people of all classes.

"If I was looking for someone, where would I start?" she asked him, not bothering to acknowledge his request.

"Why that same desk Miss, we're keeping a record of all passengers from the Titanic on board with us."

"Thank you, Sir." Rose walked quickly to the desk and through the people surrounding it, her mind racing and her heart hopeful.

"Excuse me, is there a Dawson aboard, Jack Dawson?" she asked an officer who seemed less than thrilled to be doing what he was doing.

"Your name please, Miss?" he replied ignoring her question

"Is there a Jack Dawson on your list?" Rose repeated herself

The officer looked up from his papers " I need your name first." He said sternly.

"Dawson, Rose Dawson."

He began to write down her information.

"Class?"

She hesitated, the reality dawned on her that she was no longer of the first class society, she had nothing, no money, no family, and no place to go, only the clothes on her back and a chance at freedom.

"Third" she answered matter of factly.

The officer once again looked up from his pages, looking Rose up and down, obviously noting her outfit and jewellery, the same she wore during the sinking, confusing him slightly. Their eyes met, hers searching his pleadingly.

"Right then, steerage." The officer confirmed and wrote down, he then handed her a blanket. "Titanic passengers have this deck to themselves; you'll be sleeping in the library."

"Please, is there a Jack Dawson on board?" her voice growing desperate.

The officer acknowledged her request with a nod and began flipping through pages, running his finger down each page, searching for a name that meant so much to her.

To Rose, it took an eternity, she took a moment to take in the people around her, groups huddled together crying, children pining for their lost father, next to her a woman broke down "No!" she screamed "There must be another list, there must be _something." _He legs collapsed from under her, her entire being struggling to accept her loved one did not survive. Rose watched as she was held up by two women around her and led away crying and shaking. She turned back to the officer, the look of pain obvious on her face.

" I'm sorry, there's no Jack Dawson on the list." the officer told her "However I can't say it's one hundred percent accurate, and from what I hear there's still boats out there."

"Thank you" Rose said quietly as she faded out of the crowd. She felt like she had been hit by a train, every part of her body ached, although it was a sensation she had never felt before, not quiet physical, but a deeper pain, one that nothing could cure, nothing except him.

...

Despite the pain she felt numb, numb to the world around her, it felt as if time was no longer relevant and the seconds ticked by like hours.

Rose walked through the open space of the deck with a complete disconnection from the rest of the world, it was safe to say her heart was broken; the only man she'd ever loved had been ripped away from her so suddenly, the pain was unbearable.

Despite there being no official class division, the unspoken one was as clear as day, first class passengers had claimed the upper part of the deck, whilst steerage occupied the area she was currently in, which was where she would stay. She had no desire for her old world. She took a seat on a long bench facing the Atlantic Ocean, the ocean where her Jack lay alone.

She didn't cry, just stared out to the vast, open sea; she was somehow in too much pain to cry. She drew the blanket the officer had given her around her back and over her head, not to protect herself from the cold but to disguise her red curls, she was sure Cal would come looking for her, and right now what she needed least in the world was for him to find her and drag her back to her prison. She wouldn't let that happen, she had a promise to keep.

"Come Josephine, in my flying machine" she sung so softly it was barely a whisper. "going up she goes, up she goes..." tears began to fall down her face one at a time.  
>He was gone.<p>

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><p>AN: Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed it! I'll be bringing Cal into it to explain how he comes to believe Rose is dead and all. I had it in this chapter but I felt it took away from Rose's grief so I left it for later. (it kind of bothers me that I couldn't 'fit' it into this chaper.) Once again thanks for reading.

- Ms. Gatsby


	2. Chapter 2

Hey everyone! Sorry it's taken me forever to update, I've been working 12 hour days during my break to support myself, but now that I'm back at uni I'll have plenty of time to write. I had a lot of trouble writing this chapter, I had major writers block and couldn't find the time to get over it or even write something, and don't even get me started on my internet issues haha. I wrote this chapter on the train home from work, and I'm still not 100% happy with it, especially in terms of length (sorry about that!). Also special shout out to **Taylorsierra17** for being my one and only reviewer, thanks for the kind words.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy the chapter and thanks for reading!

- Ms Gatsby

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><p>Jack Dawson was a man who knew many things; he knew how to play poker, he knew how the world worked, he even knew that somehow he'd managed to steal the heart of an upper class girl only days ago; but foremost in his mind, Jack knew without a shadow of a doubt he was going to die.<p>

He knew it was going to happen one day, it was one of the few inevitabilities in life; he just imagined it to be a little different. In all honestly he had thought his end would come a lot more dramatically, especially given his lifestyle. That's not to say that the sinking of the Titanic, the greatest ship of her time, wasn't dramatic, but laying there on a door in the middle of the freezing Atlantic Ocean wasn't Jack's idea of adrenalin pumping.

He replayed the Titanic's final moments in his head. He remembered failing to reach a lifeboat, he remembered watching the ship break apart, and he remembered riding the stern into the freezing North Atlantic waters.

But it was all over now, the horror had ended. There was no pain anymore, no more suffering. He was at peace. There was no reason he shouldn't be; he had lived a good life, it mightn't have been a long one but he couldn't have asked for a better one. He had spent his life a free man, doing what he loved, he had laughed and he had loved, could anyone honestly ask for anything more?

He was ready. Ready to leave; ready to see his family again; ready to be out of the God forsaken water and to feel Heaven's warmth.

However, there was one memory that stoped Jack from being completely at peace, leaving Rose.

"_Rose._"

Her name pierced through his memory like a knife. He knew she would be devastated at his death; would she be able to go on without him? Was she strong enough to resist Cal's grip? Would she be able to survive on her own? His mind raced with worry.

He closed his eyes as he remembered her touch, it had given him a feeling he had never felt before; who knew porcelain hands could carry so much emotion? It was only hours ago that they had lead Lovejoy and the steward's on a wild goose chase through the ship. He smiled weakly as he remembered finding the Renault in the cargo hold.

"Where to, Miss?" He had asked her in his best British accent.

"To the stars." She replied, kissing him and pulling him into the back seat.

The more he thought about Rose, the more he realized he was being stupid. She was strong, stronger than anyone else realized, stronger than even she realized. She would be fine. One day they would meet again, but until then Jack had to accept that she would be perfectly fine without him. Maybe not at first, but one day she would smile again, one day she would laugh again, one day she would love again. She would make her life count, he knew she would; he had faith in her.

Jack no longer felt cold, he had stopped shivering. A strange kind of warmth had encapsulated him; it was unlike anything he had felt before. He knew what was happening; he knew this was his end. He wasn't scared, he felt safe and free; ready to start a new adventure.

A few hundred meters away a lifeboat was making its way through the area, searching for survivors, so far having no luck.

"Is there anybody out there?" one of the officers aboard shouted into the blackness.

"Can anybody hear me?" was the next cry that came from the solitary lifeboat, once again met with a deafening silence.

But Jack didn't notice the boat or its crew, he could only focus on the white light before him, he was going home.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Hi everyone! Sorry it's taken soooo long to update, uni has been so crazy, my fault for picking gems like business law and contemporary issues in the same trimester... an 8000 word thesis is not my idea of fun haha! Thanks to Leo Me Enamoraste and FRIENDS-titanic-Degrassilover for reviewing, it means A LOT!

NB: This chapter isn't a repost for the sake of it, it has been slightly edited. I'm having some personal issues which have made me lose motivation to write :(

- Ms Gatsby

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><p>As if on cue, as if her mind had been read, she heard a familiar voice by the survivors list. "What do you mean there is no Rose Dewitt Bukater on the list?" Cal yelled, the outrage in his voice obvious.<p>

"Well, Sir" the steward began

"Don't 'well Sir' me, she _has_ to be on that list." Cal interrupted "I put her on a boat myself, I watched it lower, I_know_she's alive." He sounded hysterical at the thought of having lost the woman he prized so much. "Check again." he demanded, talking down to the steward.

"I'm sorry sir, she may have passed on the lifeboat, conditions were freezing out there after all."

"No." Cal spat at the steward "She's alive, she has to be." he added, looking beyond the baffled steward and out to the Atlantic.

"Sir-"

"Find her." Cal demanded, throwing a Fifty dollar note at the steward. He would get Rose back no matter what the cost.

"Why yes, of course Sir." the steward replied, the money giving him a change of heart.

Cal nodded at the man and walked away, scanning the deck for his Fiancé. He knew she was alive; she was smart, he knew there was more to her disappearance, she'd jump at any change to be with her gutter rat, this disaster made for the perfect opportunity.

He found himself amongst the third class passengers in his search for Rose, he felt dirty, degraded even, but he knew she'd be with Dawson; it was a case of find one, find the other; Luckily for him there were not many to search through. Every flicker of red turned his head, even a slight American accent make his heart skip a beat. He needed to find her, and take her back to where she belonged, with him. Part of him hoped she was dead, that she'd gotten what she deserved for her betrayal; he'd never understand what she saw in that gutter rat of a man named Jack Dawson, or what he had that Cal himself didn't. Despite his exterior he was hurt by Rose's antics. Even though their courtship had been an arranged one, often pushed by their parents and other members of the high society, he had come to care for her.

Although it was his ego that was hurt the most, he had never been more embarrassed in his life; _his _fiancé gallivanting around the grandest ship that had ever been with a gutter rat, a _gutter rat. _Perhaps he wouldn't have felt as much animosity if she had gone around with someone from their own class, because after all, it was not as if he had never committed an indiscretion of that nature; but penniless, homeless, third class Dawson; he knew he'd be the laughing stock not only of Philadelphia, but the entire East coast. Anger boiled inside Cal as he thought of the events of the past few days; he'd have a lot to answer for when he got back to Philadelphia. Everybody would be talking, and Cal's parents would have a lot to say on the matter; they expected him to marry Rose and produce an heir to the family fortune. No. He shook himself out of his thoughts. He had been made a fool for the last time. He would find Rose and they would finish what they started. He didn't care how long it took or what it took, he would find her.

He reached the end of the deck, still no Rose. He noticed a solitary figure sitting on a bench with their back turned to him. He contemplated getting a closer look, but his gut told him it wasn't Rose, he'd know his Rose if he saw her, wouldn't he? And with that he headed back to the first class area empty handed, for now.

Ruth was awaiting his return, she had been inconsolable since they had boarded the Carpathia and there had been no sign of Rose. Cal spotted her on a bench, surrounded by other women comforting her, telling her it was all going to be okay, telling her Rose was out there somewhere. Despite her pain, Ruth wanted to slap them. Their words were cold and insincere; they were only comforting her so that they could be at the forefront of the gossip that was spreading like wildfire amongst the upper class. Everybody knew about her daughter's affair, the one that had more than likely cost her life, and Ruth's dignity. But it didn't matter anymore; not the family's debts, not the money, not the engagement, none of it. All Ruth wanted was Rose back with her safe and sound.

Although she had trouble showing it, she really did love Rose, she was after all, her only child. The truth of the matter was that Ruth wasn't sure how to show affection to her daughter, much like Rose, Ruth had not been brought up by her parents, but by nanny's and maid's who catered to her every whim. On the rare occasions when she did see either one of her parents, it was brief, and Ruth had often felt more of a burden than anything else. When Rose was born, Ruth swore she'd be the Mother she'd always wanted. But her plans were ruined, when shortly after birth Rose was whisked away by a wet nurse at her husband's insistence, "No woman of your status should have to breastfeed." He told her. Who was she to argue? She knew her place. As the years went by, Ruth found it harder to bond with Rose, as it seemed household staff would get in the way, even a walk through the park with a young Rose would always be accompanied by an entourage of staff, Ruth wasn't expected to do anything by herself. By the time Rose got to school age, Ruth had given up. Rose was sent away to a boarding school, and when she came home for holidays, she relied on her father for everything, and he doted on her. Today, more than any, Ruth wished she had tried harder; now her Rose was lost forever.

"Ruth" she heard Cal call her.

"Mr Hockley," she exclaimed standing to meet him "Tell me you've found her."

"Not yet, but I assure you I'm doing everything in my power to assure she gets back to us."

"Very well" Ruth replied, not showing a single emotion "I shall retire to my suite now."

With that Ruth walked away from her peers and down into the halls of the ship, tears forming in her eyes.

Meanwhile, in steerage, Rose continued to stare out to sea. Several hours had passed, she was so engrossed in her own world she didn't notice the commotion going on behind her, a crowd had formed around the loading area. The last of the lifeboats had finally docked with the Capathia and rumour had it had pulled survivors out of the water.

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><p>AN: Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed it, let me know what you think :)


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Hi everyone! I know, I'm hopeless at updating but what can I say, life gets in the way. I have a good excuse haha, my boyfriend surprised me with a visit for my birthday! I got a message from my parents telling me I needed to come home urgently, I thought it was something bad considering I live 3 hours away. So off I went and I was greeted to an empty house and a post it note. So I followed a trail of post it notes and ended up at my bedroom door, inside was a whole bunch of rose petals and my boyfriend, all the way from the usa :D, needless to say I was so shocked I couldn't talk haha.

Anywho back on topic, I'm not sure how I feel about this chapter, I lost motivation to write for a while there, I've had a few things going on in my personal life that left me drained, so I had to force myself to write this, it took a few days to get in the groove, so it might be choppy (I was doing a para a day for a few days). I might end up doing a rewrite, but let me know what you think!

Also thanks to **Neeka Salvatore, tralaluv, GirlFromNorth, Pittsy, Mia, D, laura loom, BabyYoureMyOxygen, and CatalynMJ88** for reviewing, it motivated me a lot :)

- Ms Gatsby

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><p>Days went by, but for all Rose knew it could have been weeks, months, or years; she had no concept of time anymore, only grief consumed her. The only reason she was eating and sleeping was because of fellow Titanic survivors, who would rouse her when it was time to eat, or when night would begin to fall and the cold would begin to envelop her.<p>

But Rose didn't notice any of that, she didn't notice anything anymore, she just sat and stared out at the Atlantic Ocean, the ocean that had given her so much and had taken it away in a heartbeat. Now, as they were steaming ahead towards New York, it looked so calm, so peaceful, it was like it was a completely different ocean to the one which took so many souls. In a way it reminded Rose of one of the harsh realities of life; that it goes on no matter what.

Despite the tragedy, despite the pain, she would have to go on. The outside world would not wait for the grief to subside, it would not come to a halt for her or any of the others, the earth would continue to turn as it had before the sinking; the same to those who were not involved. But to those who were, the world was a different place now, whether or not the world recognised it; like the ocean, their worlds would be calm once again.

As much as she wished the world would stop turning, just for a moment, Rose knew she had to go on. She didn't have a choice, she had promised Jack she would live. Even though she had only known him for a few days, he had changed her life. He had taught her to see things differently, he had taught her how strong she really was, but above all he had taught her how to love. They had plans for a better life together, but now Rose was forced to go it alone, but would it be better? Only time would tell.

Rose didn't know how long it had been since the sinking or how long she had been on the Carpathia, but one gloomy evening the statue of Liberty came into view, and with it came the rain, soft at first, but getting heavier and heavier as they came into New York. To her, the rain felt calming, comforting even; like it was her salvation, washing away her old life, all the hurt and pain, and letting her start anew.

As the rain grew heavier and the Statue of Liberty drew closer, Rose stood to greet it. The darkness meant that it was lit up in all its glory. Given to the United States as a gift from France symbol of the freedom and new life awaiting migrants in America, she couldn't help but feel, right in this moment, that it was built just for her. She was free, her old life barely chains at her feet like the ones on Lady Liberty; Jack was her torch, guiding her all the way, she would make this new life count, if not for herself, then for him. She was now standing closer, her eyes locked on the statue with a look of both determination and grief.

"Can I take your name please, love?" a man who Rose could only assume to be an immigration officer requested, interrupting her thoughts.

She turned to face him; he could see in her eyes that she was broken, but determined none the less.

"Dawson," she answered confidently, "Rose Dawson."

With a nod of the head he was gone and she returned her gaze to the statue. As if the exchange had woke her up, Rose suddenly became aware that she was cold. She sort refuge for her hands in the pockets of her ex fiancé's coat which she had worn during the sinking. As she put her left hand in, she paused, there was something in her pocket, surely she would have noticed it before. Confused, she pulled it out, and in her hand was nothing other than the Heart of the Ocean, Cal's prized gift to her marking their engagement. She quickly put it back in her pocket, if she was seen with it she would most likely be branded a thief given that she was in third class, or worse, her true identity could be discovered.

As the ship sailed closer to port, she contemplated her discovery. Selling the necklace would mean she would have enough money to live comfortably for the rest of her life, but on the other hand selling it could lead to Cal finding her; and as much as she hated to admit it, the necklace, with which she should be associating with Cal, reminded her of Jack and their night spent together. Her heart skipped a beat as she remembered him drawing her, how nervous she was, and how he had brought her so much contentment.

"Miss?" a steward tapped her on the shoulder, jolting her from her thoughts, "We will be docking shortly, we won't be heading to Ellis Island, we'll be disembarking at the docks instead."

"Oh." Rose replied, a hint of disappointment evident in her voice, she had hoped to use her time being processed as somewhat of a transition, and to use it to fade into the crowd and get away from other Titanic survivors. "Thank you" she added, forcing a slight smile as the steward left her side.

With this news Rose grew even more anxious about arriving in New York, there would certainly be media and crowds waiting to catch a glimpse of those who had survived the Titanic disaster. The thought of being surrounded by so many people, none of whom knew how she felt made her feel ill, all she wanted was to be left alone to grieve.

Slowly, the ship came to a halt under her feet. Rose turned to notice that the city lights were barely visible; the city was covered in a thick, eerie blanket of fog, perhaps this was God's way of mourning the dead, Rose thought as she closed her eyes, praying that it was all a bad dream and that she was still in Southampton awaiting the voyage. In the distance she could hear bells tolling in mourning, a sombre tribute to those who never made it to New York, those who were lost at sea, and those who had left someone behind.

Noticing a gangplank meeting the ship, Rose thought it best to move below deck, the first class passengers would disembark first, and she wanted to avoid being spotted. She headed into the library, where the third class passengers slept and lied down on the nearest cot, she put her head on the pillow and threw the blankets over herself, covering her from head to toe, blocking the world out. Before she knew it she was sound asleep, her cares were miles away.

"Excuse me."

Rose felt a firm hand on her shoulder, waking her from her slumber. She stirred and pulled the blankets off her head to reveal a steward standing over her.

"I do apologise for waking you Miss, but most of the other passengers have disembarked, and we really do need everybody to move on." He said sympathetically.

"Of course," Rose replied "Thank you."

Still groggy, Rose stood up and walked out of the library, she slowed her steps as she reached the staircase; there was no denying she was scared. Slowly but surely she made her way up the stairs and to the gangway where a few fellow survivors and crew were gathered, some ignoring her completely, others greeting her with a nod, as if to say good luck and farewell.

She paused and took a breath as she reached the gangplank; she stared at it for a moment. This was the beginning of her new life; she had nothing, no one, and everything she had ever known was gone. Tears welled in her eyes as she took the first step onto the gangplank. She had promised Jack that when the Titanic docked they would get off together and start a new life. Instead the Titanic was at the bottom of the Atlantic, Jack was with it and she was all alone.

"Rose?"

She heard a voice behind her, one which she assumed she'd never hear again. She turned around to face it and her heart stopped.

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><p>AN: Thanks for reading! Let me know what you think :)


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: I'm back! Yes, I know I'm the worst updater in the world, life gets in the way, but I'm going to try to improve. I hope you like this chapter, I needed a bit of a bridging chapter between Rose's lives, let me know what you think!

Thanks to BeautyBelle14 (I love your pen name, Belle is my favorite Disney Princess!) for reviewing :D

Enjoy

-Ms Gatsby

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><p>"Molly!" she exclaimed as her eyes met with none other than those of Molly Brown.<p>

"Oh Rose," Molly exclaimed, pulling her into an over enthusiastic embrace "you're alive. We thought you were gone for good, Darlin'"

"Molly I-" Rose tried to interrupt her quietly.

"Oh your mother will be so happy" Molly continued, clearly oblivious to Rose's panic.

"No!" she pulled away from Molly's embrace "You can't tell her."

"Wha- what do you mean?" Molly asked, a confused look coming over her face as the reality of what Rose had just asked of her set in.

"I can't go back to that, Molly, I just can't" Roses voice grew shaky "I can't be who they want me to be. You've seen it yourself, the way Cal treated me, like I was merely a prize, not a person, and heaven forbid if I had my own opinion. I can't marry him, and if I go back that's what will happen. I refuse to end up miserable and resentful like my mother."

Molly's gaze never left Rose as she thought about her own lot in life. She had been lucky enough to have the freedom to marry a man of her choosing, the man she loved, and to travel and settle where she chose. Above all, she knew she wouldn't trade it for all the riches in the world if she could do it all again. So why shouldn't she give Rose the same opportunity, even if she did think she was making a mistake.

After what seemed like an eternity to Rose, Molly finally spoke. "Where's Jack?" She wanted to know that there would be someone to look out for her, Rose had no street smarts and she wanted to be sure she would be safe.

But Rose didn't need to answer, the look on her face said enough, her eyes welled with tears and her expression went from vacant to pained. It was all Molly needed to tell that Jack was gone.

"Oh Rose, I'm so sorry." Molly spoke after a moment, "Why don't you come and stay with me until you get on your feet?"

"No, I have to do this on my own" Rose replied, choking back tears "I made a promise."

"Are you sure?"

Rose nodded as she wiped a tear from her eye.

"If this is what you want." Molly sighed and through her purse, eventually she found the pen and writing pad she was looking for and quickly scribbled.

"Here" she handed the paper to Rose, "There's my address and number on the East coast and my details out west, if you need anything, and I mean _anything_, I'll always be happy to help."

"Thank you Molly," Rose replied softly "for everything." She forced a slight smile.

"You're welcome, Darlin', we all deserve a chance at happiness." She said, placing a hand on Rose's shoulder. "Now, you'd better get going before it gets too late, these streets are dangerous at night, there's a Red Cross off 42nd, they'll be able to help you out as far as a roof over your head and clothes go."

With that, Rose and Molly shared one last embrace. Rose turned and walked out onto the gangway.

"Rose." She turned her head to face Molly again, "Good luck."

Rose nodded silently and headed down the gangplank into the foggy New York night. She kept her head down as she hurried through the port, she didn't know how long Cal would wait to try to find her, and in any case she didn't want to be snapped by a photographer, her picture would most certainly appear in one of the east coast newspapers.

As she hurried through the streets, Rose eventually hit Time's Square. It was the same as it always was, people everywhere, large electrified advertisements lighting up the night. It and its occupants carried on, unaffected by the tragedy that had occurred on the Atlantic. To Rose however, the square was different, noises were muffled by her thoughts and the usually bright colours seemed somewhat dull and muted in her mind. If the world would not mourn, she would do it for them.

She found 42nd street quiet easily; she and Cal would often travel to the city to attend a play or a musical or simply to do a spot of shopping. New York was a place Rose had always associated with fun and opulence; she never imagined she would be there in a situation like the one she was in now. Her stomach growled as she traveled swiftly down the street, her eyes peeled for the Red Cross, she only had a vague idea as to where it was located, she had never had any cause to pay attention to it in the past.

Eventually she found it; the Red Cross was housed in a white, aging building. It was so far removed from any accommodations she had stayed in before. She became increasingly aware of her upper class clothing, although it was wet and most certainly ruined; Rose felt she couldn't look more out of place if she tried. Her hands began to tremble as she drew closer to the door and placed her hand on the door knob. What if they didn't believe her story? What if they assumed she didn't need help? What if she was rejected? Her breathing became quicker as she opened the door. A welcome gust of warmth greeted her as she stepped inside. The foyer was small and cosy, chairs lined the cream walls, and there was what looked to be a reception desk to Rose's left.

"Can I help you?" a woman not much older than Rose appeared behind the desk and startled her.

"Ummm I- I need help." Rose replied her voice trembling.

The woman's face softened, "Is there anything I can do to help?"She asked softly.

"Well I was on the Titanic and-"

She cut Rose off "You poor soul, we've had a few of you come through our door tonight. You don't need to say anymore, you've been through enough without having to repeat it."

A look of relief came over Rose's face, she was thankful convincing wasn't needed and even more thankful to not have to repeat the horror she had experienced.

The woman disappeared into a small room behind the desk and reappeared carrying blankets and a change of clothes.

"Here," she said handing the bundle to Rose "A new batch of donations should be arriving within the next few days so we can get you some extra clothes then."

"Thank you." Rose had never experienced such kindness from strangers in her life.

"Now I'll just need your name."

"Rose Dawson."

"OK Miss Dawson, follow me please." She said as she took a set of keys from the peg.

Rose followed the woman up a set of stairs and down a corridor. She was met with a slight musky smell as she walked. The corridors were painted the same cream colour as the foyer, albeit they looked significantly more aged, the paint was peeling in places and some of the lights did not work, creating a gloomy atmosphere.

"Well here we are." The woman said cheerfully, breaking the silence.

Rose looked up to see a wooden door with the number 185 on it. The woman put the key in the lock and opened the door, beckoning Rose to go in before her.

"You can stay as long as you need; the bathroom is down the hall, breakfast will be served at seven tomorrow morning."

Rose nodded in understanding.

"Is there anything else I can do for you?"

"No, thank you."

"Well if you need anything my name is Mary." She said with a smile "I'd best be off, goodnight Miss Dawson."

"Goodnight." Rose replied as Mary shut the door behind her.

She looked around the room; it was small, much smaller than she was used to, there was a window on the other side of the room and a small bed in the center A chair occupied the space of one of the corners and there was a wooden table beside the bed. The smell of dust lingered in the air, Rose guessed that the room hadn't been used for some time.

She put the sheets on the bed, they were not the luxurious Egyptian cotton she was used to, but they would suffice. She then changed from the cold, wet dress she was wearing from the night of the sinking and dried herself off with one of the towels that had been given to her and changed into the white nightgown; her skin welcomed the reprieve from the cold.

She draped Cal's coat carefully over the chair so as not to disturb the diamond, and folded her dress. She turned off the light and dove under the covers of her bed. It was then, lying in the dark that Rose realized she was alone; not just in the room, or the city, but in life, she had no one, no family, no friends, and no Jack. She had often heard the phrase 'Tomorrow is a new day', but she dreaded it, she didn't want to do this alone, she didn't want to be without Jack. On the Carpathia she still felt like she had a connection to him, maybe it was the Atlantic, or maybe it was the other survivors; but here Rose felt so disconnected from him, she didn't want tomorrow to come, it would be the first day of her the rest of her life without him. She wanted to cry, but her body resisted, it was to worn out from the events of the sinking to consider doing anything else but sleeping. Rose could feel her consciousness slipping away as she thought of Jack. Her body felt like it was rocking with the waves as her eyelids grew heavy and she slipped into a deep sleep.

The next day, Rose awoke to sunlight streaming through the window. She looked to the clock beside her for the time, it read a quarter past ten. She was alarmed; she had never slept so late in her life, how improper. She got out of bed and opened the curtains, she squinted as the extra sunlight came flowing in, stinging her tired eyes. As she turned to make her bed, something caught her eye; a note had been slid under her door. Her curiosity got the better of her and she rushed to the door to retrieve it, it read:

_Rose,_

_Meet me at Broadway and Times Square at 1 o'clock. It's important, it's about Jack._

_-Molly_

Rose started to shake as she read Jack's name; did they find his body? Was he alive? Was it a trap to take her back to her old life? Her mind was racing at a million miles an hour as she thought about why Molly had contacted her. There was only one thing for it, she was going to meet Molly.

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><p>AN: Thanks for reading!


	6. Chapter 6

AN: Hello everyone! Worst updater EVER here (hmm new pen name maybe?) haha. I'm so so so so sorry for not updating sooner, I've been working full time and studying full time so I've had no time for anything. I left my job last week so I should be able to update more often. It is super frustrating for me not being able to write, especially since I have the whole plot line for this story figured out! But thanks to everyone who reads this story for bearing with me.

I've already written the next chapter, they were supposed to be one big chapter but I split them, so I'll post it whenever everyone wants it :)

A big thanks to JudgeTenderlyOfMe, jackdawson-love, BeautyBelle14, debbiexmx, coracartmell1912, snowboarder-bri, xShatteredRose, ZombiePrincessSlayer and Cadace Storms for reviewing, you guys are awesome!

I hope you enjoy this chapter, let me know what you think!

-Ms Gatsby

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><p>Rose hurried through the streets of New York; they had never felt longer, all she wanted to do was get to Molly. Her feet felt light underneath her, her pace was brisk, almost a run as she weaved in and out of the crowds of people, mostly unaware of anything outside her immediate vision, she was too focused to notice the street vendors or the stores or the flashing lights, the things most visitors to the city come to see.<p>

As she reached Times Square her heart began to pound, "Broadway." She muttered under her breath whilst looking up at the street signs "Broadway, Broadway, Broadway." as if repeating it would make it appear. She stopped to get her bearings, despite having practically grown up in the city her mind was so focused on what Molly had to say that she'd forgotten where Times and Broadway met. She looked up and for the first time that day noticed that last night's dark grey sky had been replaced by a brilliant bright blue sky, there was not a cloud in the sky; if it had been any other day, Rose might have called it a perfect one. She hoped that it was an omen for her future, although she knew not to get her hopes up, she knew the odds; Jack was more than likely dead.

Like a rock hitting her in the head, Rose had the realization that Broadway was the next street over. She broke into a run, as desperate as ever to meet Molly. As she got to Broadway she noticed a Renault, not unlike the one her and Jack found in the cargo hold of the Titanic on the night of the sinking, parked just beyond the corner with a middle aged chauffer waiting outside, she could only assume it was Molly's. She approached the car slowly with an air of caution about her; it would be most embarrassing if the car was in fact not Molly's.

"Miss DeWitt Buketer, I assume?" the chauffer spoke up suddenly, startling Rose,

"Y-yes" she replied as the chauffer opened the door.

As she slid into the back seat of the car Molly spoke, "I was beginning to think you weren't coming."

"What do you mean?"

"I guess part of me thought you'd run back to Philadelphia." Molly explained.

"No." Rose replied softly, she'd noticed that the car was now moving, she was more curious than ever. "Where are we going, Molly?"

"You'll see"

"Are you taking me back to my mother?"

"No Rose, why on Earth would I do that?"

Rose felt somewhat more relaxed knowing that she wasn't being taken back to Philadelphia; However Molly's reluctance to tell her where they were going still made her feel uneasy.

"You said it was about Jack?"She asked, her voice straining at his name.

"Look, Rose I want you to see this for yourself, we're almost there; please be patient."

Rose simply nodded, she knew better than to test Molly. She looked out the window at her surrounds, the buildings had begun to thin slightly, and it looked as if they were heading towards the docks.

She closed her eyes, as much as she hated to admit it, she was still exhausted. She breathed in the smell of the car, it no longer had that new smell to it, it had been long replaced by the smell of Molly's perfume. The leather underneath her felt firm but soft, somehow it was comforting. She began to blush slightly as she realised that the last time she was in a car, she was with Jack. Memories began to flood her mind, the feelings still felt fresh, as if they'd only happened moments ago, she could almost smell Jack. She shifted in her seat in an attempt to jolt herself out of thinking such thoughts, it was quiet improper to think such things, more so amongst company.

After what seemed like an eternity, the car came to a gentle stop, Rose opened her eyes and tried to figure out where they were. She jumped as the chauffer opened the door, he offered her his hand and she thanked him as she took it, her hands trembling.

As she exited the car she was met by a white imposing building, they weren't at the docks at all; the sign read 'St Vincent's Hospital'.

She gulped, a hospital; that could mean Jack was alive! Her joy was only fleeting as she remembered that hospitals also held morgues within their doors.

"Ready?" Molly's voice came from behind her. She nodded in reply as her stomach dropped, she felt as if she was about to be ill from nerves. She walked a few paces behind Molly as they headed through the hospital's doors. Rose covered her nose as the smell hit her immediately, the smell of disinfectant lingered in the air. People were rushing about everywhere, nurses, volunteers, worried relatives, she had never seen anything like it.

"Wait here." Molly requested as she headed through the chaos to the nurse's desk. Rose watched on curiously as Molly began to speak to them with a look of familiarity. Minutes later she returned to Rose, "This way." She said as she started towards a long corridor.

The hospital was like a labyrinth to Rose, it felt like stairway after stairway, corridor after corridor, over and over again. The hospital despite being several decades old didn't show its age. The paint was flawless, the stairs didn't creak and there was not a cobweb in sight, it was most certainly a tribute to those who were responsible for its upkeep. In a way it disappointed Rose, a single flaw would give her something to focus else to focus on, and she found the sterile environment somewhat unnerving.

She was awakened from her thoughts when she ran into Molly who'd stopped at a pair of double doors. "Ward M" the nurse escorting them announced as she opened the doors for them. Rose followed Molly into the ward as the nurse went back down the stairs. The ward had the same smell as the rest of the hospital, only there were more windows, allowing the sunlight to flow in, highlighting the dust particles floating through the air.

Looking ahead, she noticed that they were surrounded by greenish-grey curtains, behind which Rose could only assume were patients, how injured they were she couldn't tell. As they slowly walked through the ward she noticed that from behind some horrid sounds of pain emerged, others only exuded an eerie silence; she didn't know whether to feel comforted or even tenser. They walked on slowly and quietly so as not to disturb anyone in the ward. With each step Rose became more and more nervous; she had no idea what awaited her.

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><p>Thanks for reading!<p> 


	7. Chapter 7

A/N: Hi Everyone! I'm back in record time... a few people have asked if I'm affected by the floods over here, thankfully we've only had some slight damage and flash flooding, my family up north in Brisbane and North New South Wales haven't been so lucky, so if you believe in that sort of thing please keep everyone who's been affected in your prayers.

Thanks to ZombiePrincessSlayer, JudgeTenderlyofMe, and for reviewing.

I hope you like this chapter, let me know what you think!

- Ms Gatsby

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><p>Eventually they stopped in front of a curtain towards the end of the ward, Molly turned to Rose and put a finger over her lips, indicating for Rose to be quiet, and she nodded in reply and focused her eyes ahead. Molly pulled back the curtain quietly, and there he was, Jack. He looked perfect lying there, there wasn't a scratch on him; it was as if he was sleeping like nothing had happened. Rose started trembling in shock, Molly quickly moved her over to a chair in the corner of Jack's area. She sunk into the chair and covered her mouth as she gasped, tears forming in her eyes. "How?" she asked, her voice barely audible.<p>

"I was a nurse before we came into the money; it's not just the rich who have good connections." Molly explained with a smile, at this moment Molly couldn't be happier, she knew they were both going to be ok. As Rose got up and moved towards Jack she slipped away, she knew they needed time to themselves, and they knew how to find her if they needed her; as far as she was concerned her job was done.

As if he sensed her there, Jack suddenly stirred; Rose rushed over to him and sat in the small chair beside his bed. He mumbled incoherently, awakening slowly, he began to move as his words became clearer. "Rose" His voice was so hoarse it was barely audible.

"Jack, I'm here." She answered stroking his face, her voice straining with happiness.

"Rose." He repeated, his voice getting stronger.

"I'm here Jack," Rose reiterated "You're OK, you're in hospital."

He mumbled again and shifted his body as if he was going back to sleep. Rose sighed, how long would she have to wait?

Suddenly his eyes shot open "Rose!" he exclaimed. She smiled back at him through tears of joy. Before she could speak he closed his eyes and put a finger up, asking her to wait a moment. He felt strange, he thought he would have felt tired or in pain but he didn't feel any of it, he was guessing he'd been out for so long that the symptoms of hypothermia had passed. He was overwhelmed, they had both made it, he gave himself a second for it all to sink in as Rose sat beside him with a confused look on her face, had Jack lost some of his memory?

Taking Rose by surprise he jumped up and kissed her, it was a deep, long, passionate kiss; it gave Rose butterflies, and even made her brush a little. Their arms searched each other, exploring every feature; it was as if they hadn't seen each other for an eternity. Through his kissing Rose noticed that Jack was smiling, she suddenly felt a surge of happiness she'd never felt before, she began to giggle, breaking their long drawn out kiss.

"What?" Jack said with a grin, puzzled.

"I'm not sure," Rose said through her laughter, "I've never felt this...this _happy_ before, I'm not sure what to do with it."

Jack reached over and stroked her cheek, he couldn't believe they'd both made it out alive; he was so sure he was never going to see her again.

Rose's mood suddenly changed, "Jack" she pulled away from him and took his hand, "What happened to you?"

"Not now." He answered as he pulled her into another kiss, his body was aching for her, he didn't care about being proper as he moved his hand down to her leg and gently caressed it, he then broke the kiss and moved to her neck, nuzzling the area where her neck met her shoulders, he began to tenderly kiss her neck, she showed no signs of objection as she tilted her head, allowing him more access.

Her breathing was quicker now, she wanted him, she needed him. He made his way up her neck, she felt the warmth of his breath as it met her ear, and it made her shudder. "Rose" he whispered into her ear, up until now she hadn't noticed how much of her body had ended up out of the chair and into his bed. "Rose" he repeated "I love you so much."

"I love you too, Jack" she replied as his lips continued to work their way down her neck.

All of a sudden they heard a curtain open; they thought nothing of it until they heard a voice to accompany it, "Well I Never!" they turned to see an older nurse standing over them. "How improper, a hospital of all places" she continued, her voice tinged with outrage. She turned to Rose who was now standing beside the bed, staring at her feet looking rather embarrassed "Are you any relation to Mr Dawson?"

"Oh no, I'm not-" she began, only to be cut off by Jack

"She's my wife, we're married" he said, thinking on his feet, if the nurse knew they weren't related Rose would be kicked out for sure.

"Yet I see no rings." The nurse sounded skeptical.

"We lost them in the sinking." Jack explained.

"My apologies." She answered "However I must ask you to refrain from that lewd behavior, we are in a hospital, after all."

Rose and Jack nodded silently, acknowledging the nurses request. Jack had his head down and was biting his lip trying not to laugh, no matter what had happened, there was always room for properness, he thought to himself sarcastically.

"Now, Mr Dawson, I'll have to do some tests now you're awake. Mrs Dawson I'll have to ask you to wait outside, when I return I expect you to be gone." With that she turned and left to get the equipment she needed.

"Someone's no fun." Jack said with a grin.

"You're really something, Jack Dawson." She said shaking her head in mock disbelief.

"You'd better go before she comes back and starts breathing fire on you."

Her face dropped, she didn't want to leave his side, not even for a moment, she sighed, "I'll be right outside." She said, still holding his hand.

"And I'm not going anywhere; you have nothing to worry about."

She leant down and gave him one last fleeting kiss and without words she started outside, their hands staying intertwined as long as the distance between them allowed. As they were forced to part, Rose reminded herself it was only for a few minutes and in the grand scheme of things it didn't really matter. Nothing mattered anymore, not Cal, not her mother, not the fact she was poor, nothing. They had each other and it was all they needed, that was all that mattered.

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><p>AN: I know what you're thinking, 'another Jack lives story' but I've got some big twists planned so stay tuned.

Thanks for reading!


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